Beyblade Benders
by Malluchan
Summary: MFB, rewritten Avatar style!
1. Gingka has landed

Hi there everybody.

Once again, I know I shouldn't be starting another story. But I can't get this one out of my head.

As many of you fellow otakus know, the Legend of Korra has finally started its second season. FINALLY. So me, Matt, Mikey, and Grace have been watching a LOT of it. We're hooked on Avatar again.

I've been chewing on this one for a month or two now and I'm finally ready to get going.

Basically what I'm doing here is rewriting Beyblade, from Metal Fusion to Metal Fury, but pro-bending style; pro-bending is a sport in the Avatar: Legend of Korra world that's becoming more and more popular. Thus Beyblade will be replaced with pro-bending.

Though based off of Legend of Korra, this story is set not in the steampunk age but the modern, to make things a little easier. Also, Metal City - the centre of the Beyblade world - will be replaced with Republic City.

As for where on earth the Avatar is right now, well, he's just been born so he doesn't really appear in this story.

With that said, let's get started.

First chapter dedicated to Luis, for getting his driver's license last week.

* * *

Flames flashed across the stadium, lighting up the faces of the spectators as they marvelled at the skill of the two boys battling below.

Hailing from their hometown of Republic City, from the junior gym, Kenta Yumiya was battling. Though young, he was showing immense skill as he progressed, and was becoming more well-known through the junior pro-bending home tournaments.

Once again Kenta claimed a victory, wiping the other firebender off the stadium and into the shallow water below. The crowd cheered as Kenta ripped off his helmet and wiped off his brow, retreating to the lift at the other side.

As he returned to the bench in the arena lobby set into the stadium wall, he grabbed the nearby Thermos and took a hefty swig from it, racing back out to catch the lift as it descended once again.

All around in the junior stadium, multiple platforms were set. Opponents rotated from platform to platform, battling and eliminating as the tournament wore on. Kenta brought down one adversary after another, revelling in the cheers around him and the excitement of battle; though small, he was strong and determined to become one of the greatest pro-benders in history, following in the footsteps if the great firebender Mako of the Fire Ferrets.

Kenta's winning streak ended with a devastating blow from another young firebender such as himself, crying out as he sank into the water. The shallow liquid hissed as he hit it from the heat radiating off of him.

Wading back to the rail beneath the platform, and sacrificing his helmet for the sake of mobility, he sagged down at the edge of the concrete ridge, his bare feet dangling in the water.

* * *

A boy clad in orange was walking down the street. His garb showed that he was of the air nation; he seemed travel-weary and heavy laden. Climbing up a water tower, he fell onto the flat roof and shut his eyes, exhausted. A few small children pointed up at the boy on the water tower, but he slept on undisturbed.

* * *

With his helmet under his arm and his jacket thrown over his shoulder, shoes forgotten at the stadium and unwanted, Kenta walked down the sidewalk.

It had been an exhausting match. Firebending in such quick succession was not an easy feat. Though he'd been beaten at the end yet again, as his strength had waned as the tournament continued, Kenta was sure he was getting stronger day by day and would someday match, yes, even surpass Mako.

Thinking these things, Kenta was happy despite his loss. He didn't see the triad blocking his path and it took a minute to register that he'd bumped into one of them.

"Watch where you're goin', punk."

"Hey, wait a minute!" One of the three, burly and large, leaned down, scrutinizing Kenta evilly. "You're that firebender kid. The one who thinks he's so tough."

Kenta could see the scratches on the man's firebender armour from this close up. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"He thinks he's as tough as that Mako, huh? Battle us, and we'll see!"

"Uhh..." Kenta stuttered helplessly. "Okay. Just don't hurt me."

"GO!" shouted one of the men flanking the firebender. In one bound, the big one was upon him. Kenta leapt back, startled.

Under the bridge, the battle raged on. The big one kept coming, backing Kenta up against a wall. He tried to deflect the flaming blows, but there were too many; some hit home painfully, and he could feel the heat even through his pro-bending armour. The man was like a raging bull who would not stop.

Ash marks marred the bridge like graffiti as the flames fired in rapid succession, bolts of lightning sometimes lighting up the top of the bridge. Kenta fell against the wall and was sure that he couldn't make it out of this one unharmed. Curling up into a ball, he shut his eyes and prepared for the worst.

But at that moment, a gust of cold air whooshed above his head, ruffling his hair and blowing the flames away from him. Sott rained down from the walls of the bridge as the wind dislodged them.

Kenta chanced a peek out from behind one arm to see an unfamiliar figure standing at the entrance to the bridge. Folds of orange and yellow fabric folded around him in the clothing of an airbender, and wind swirled around him but seemed not to faze him. His feet were bare and his red hair was tousled like he'd been sleeping out in the open, and a grey duffel bag was slung over his right shoulder.

With one palm out, he commended, "Stop it! Why don't you mess with somebody your own size!?"

The waterbender to the right of the big boy snickered. "I doubt there's anybody in the city his size."

The firebender shot a bolt of lightning just above the boy's head and turned back to the Air Tribe stranger. "You don't know who you're messing with, kid. Get lost and if you know what's good for you, you'll mind your own business."

The stranger shook his head and flicked his arm; immediately a gust of freezing air whizzed through the tunnel just above Kenta, sweeping the triad off their feet and into the opposite wall.

"I think you're the one who has no idea what's good for him!"

With a gasp, the firebender stood, throwing his arms out in swipe after swipe of flame. But each one was deflected or extinguished.

Kenta gasped. This boy could bee Aang-sama himself for all he knew; the boy was amazingly skilled. Perhaps from a pro-bending school in the mountains to the east.

Finally the firebender saw that he was outmatched and barrelled toward the exit of the tunnel, calling behind him, "You'll pay for this, airbender, you mark my words!" The two waterbenders raced out on his heels, and the airbender lowered his hands and shook his head.

He walked over to where Kenta sat on the hard concrete, and held out a hand to him. Kenta stood.

"Wh-who are you!? That was amazing!" He fell into step beside the airbender as he beckoned to Kenta.

"My name's Gingka Hagane. I'm just coming through town on a training journey."

"That was SO COOL! Are you a pro-bender?"

"Sure enough." Gingka seemed preoccupied with something in the night sky.

"I want to be as strong as you someday", Kenta confided as they reclined on the side of a grassy hill near a bridge. "I want to be as good as Mako, from the fire ferrets. He's my hero."

"You chose a good hero, kid. But if you want advice for pro-bending, here's one thing you have to remember." Kenta leaned forward eagerly, hoping for something good for improvement from this amazing bender.

"It doesn't matter who you are, Mako or Aang or even a city boy named Kenta. It doesn't matter what element you've got in your blood, who you fight or how many battles you win. What matters in a battle, what really lets your flame shine bright, is what's in here." Gingka patted his chest, right over his heart. "It's your bender's spirit. The thing that makes you love bending and embrace it with all your heart."

Kenta was a little disappointed; he'd been hoping for advice on how to become stronger. But he set his helmet down on the hill and nodded. This strong airbender surely knew what he was talking about.

* * *

Benkei Hanawa and the two waterbenders crouched on the ground before the large crate in the warehouse, looking up into the darkness to where two glowing lion-like eyes peered out at them from the shadows.

"There's a new airbender in town, Kyouya-sama. He's so strong..." Benkei began tentatively. Kyouya Tategami, their leader, didn't take news of a defeat well.

A boy emerged from the shadows, teal hair standing up from his scalp in spikes and the tight green garb of an earthbender accentuating his every move. "Are you trying to tell me that you lost ANOTHER battle?"

Benkei shivered and crouched lower to the cold floor. "Sorry, Kyouya-sama. He was unbeatable."

Kyouya growled out at the rafters. "Leave my sight."

Obligingly Benkei rose and raced away before Kyouya had the chance to give him an early death. As he left, he heard the leader of the gang growl into the shadows:

"We'll see how unbeatable he is, now won't we..."

* * *

Gingka lay with his eyes shut, never having left the hillside on the bridge. The grass was soft and the sun was warm and he was drifting off again into sleep, not ready to be up and about yet.

But when he opened his eyes, the all-too-familiar face of a despicable firebender glared down at him. Framed by violet hair, Benkei Hanawa's glaring face was not a nice thing to wake up to.

Gingka glared back murderously as the gang of thugs surrounded him, goading him on through the city, pressing his lagging and weary footsteps to keep on going.

* * *

Kenta raced through the streets of Republic City, whipping his head from side to side. He had to find Gingka and get him to teach him to be a great pro-bender.

Finding his footing on the hot concrete, he could hear his own panting breaths reverberating off the walls of the buildings around him. As he reached the outskirts of town, he found himself at an unfinished building; hearing voices inside, he ducked through the dark steel-framed entryway and headed towards the centre.

He emerged into the light on a bank of uncovered earth and, to his relief, saw the airbender Gingka with his back towards him, looking out at the hundreds of benders lining the steel beams.

Kenta gasped.

This treatment was renowned throughout the kids of Republic City, the hundred bender battle. One so unfortunate as to have caught the eye of one of the gangs was subjected to battling 100 benders in a secluded area. Kenta cried out in alarm; Gingka had no chance of winning against so many benders at once.

And yet Gingka Hagane stood steady, looking up into the unfinished rafters above him.

"I'm ready."

The malicious grins of the other benders could be seen around him as jolts of flame shot out from above, followed by gusts of wind and shoots of water. Columns of earth surged around him, but in the middle of it all, Gingka stayed calm.

Suddenly the airbender whirled in the centre of the building, air whipping around him. Summoning what seemed to be every ounce of his strength, he created a great whirlwind that spiralled up and up through the tower; one by one the snaked of air hit the benders around him, knocking them backwards off of the steel beams; some hung on for dear life, while others surrendered to the fall.

In one movement, the hundred bender battle was over - and won by the 1 per cent.

Kenta gazed around him in awe at the hundred defeated benders, amazed at how one air nomad could be able to fight against all four elements and still win. Perhaps this was the bender's spirit of which Gingka had told him.

Gingka walked over to him. "Hey, Kenta, whatcha doin'?" He held out his fist and Kenta bumped his own against it eagerly.

Suddenly a voice from overhead caught both their ears and they looked up. A boy with hair the colour of the ocean rested in a leisurely manner atop one of the beams, an earthbender if his clothing told no lies.

"It seems a worthy opponent has come to Republic City at last..."

* * *

So! I will continue this, I think. It's fun.


	2. A lion's roar

Hi there everybody. Again.

Here we start off the week with episode 2 of Beyblade Benders.

BTW, I'm looking for someone to do some fanarts of my stories as a weekend project, so if you have a dA account or know somebody, please PM me!

And one more bit of news before we start of the episode.

FlameSolaria has recently suffered a devastating family loss; many of you remember when her brother DJ took over her profile? He was in a car accident on the way from America to see her and didn't survive.

He was very close to Flame and got her through some real hard times after her mum died. She has had a mental breakdown and is in the hospital in an artificial coma now. I cried myself out in the bathroom at the library when I got the news.

If it wasn't for DJ, she and Shadow would not be together. He was a great friend to Shadow, and an amazing brother to Flame. I hope you'll all remember him in the highest of respect and pray for Flame and Shadow as they go through this hard time.

Thanks so much,

Malluchan

* * *

The earth was shaking at the warehouse complex.

Anybody who didn't know any better would've thought it was an earthquake.

The tremors radiated from a warehouse at the centre east edge of the complex, and inside, a lone boy stood surrounded by benders of various types.

Platforms of earth rose above him, synchronized with his cat-like movements, sending the other benders plummeting to the ground from the rafters above and the crates stacked high all around. They fell in bunches, helpless plumes of fire, water, and air whizzing around them, never hitting their mark.

A hapless waterbender crawled to the feet of the lion boy, begging that they should stop training before they all keeled over from exhaustion, as many already were.

Their leader looked down at him contemptuously. "No! I must keep on training in order to become more powerful and defeat that imposter Gingka Hagane! If I do not become stronger, there is no way that I can beat him!"

* * *

Kenta hopped over the rail of the highway, rolling onto the soft grass below. To his relief, a little further down, he had spotted his friend the airbender; convinced that he'd left town already and that he was too late, Kenta had spent the entire morning searching diligently for Gingka.

"Thank goodness. There you are."

"Huh? Oh, hey, Kenta." Gingka seemed distracted, gazing over at Kenta briefly before putting his focus back on the mid-morning sky.

"I thought you'd left", Kenta gasped, flopping down on the grass beside the airbender.

"Left? Why would I leave?"

"Oh, well I just thought you were passing through here, Gingka! I didn't think you'd stay that long."

Gingka smiled lazily up into the clouds. "Actually, Kenta, I decided to stay here awhile. It seems like there are a lot of strong pro-benders here in Metal City."

Kenta laughed with relief. He already considered Gingka a good friend. Gingka laughed along with him.

As they chatted awhile and made plans of what to do for lunch, Kenta noticed out of the corner of his eye that a girl was walking along the top of the road. He thought nothing of it until she touched Gingka on the arm and he practically jumped back over the railing a few feet above them.

"Oh, you poor thing..." The girl was a waterbender by the looks of it, and seemed sympathetic.

"Wh-wha...POOR THING!? Who are you calling poor thing?" Gingka sputtered.

"Well, you, of course!" The stranger seemed indignant now, tugging on his arm as if she was examining him. "You really should take better care of yourself if you're going to be able to bend properly! Come on. We're going to get you all fixed up."

She stood over the two boys, hands on her hips and a disapproving expression on her face. Gingka was stunned into submission and the two of them followed her silently.

Several times along the way, Gingka began to protest, as if his brain was just waking up. "Hey, wait a minute..." But he was always silenced again by a glare by the strange girl.

Pretty soon, Gingka and Kenta found themselves in the nice part of town, in the basement of a little healer's centre sandwiched between a roller rink and a noodle shop.

As the girl walked, she talked. "My name is Madoka Amano. This is my dad's facility; he's an independent healer, and he taught me everything I know." She sat at a small table with a laptop on it, cords trailing over to the wall a foot away, across from a small couch. "Sit down."

Gingka obediently sat, about to protest, but evidently thinking better of it at the last moment. He sat still as Madoka drew water from a nearby vessel and began to treat his scars from the other night; Kenta guessed he needed it more than he'd let on.

* * *

Kenta walked once again down the streets of Republic City the next day, well-rested and high-spirited. The gyms were open all over the city, and many junior pro-benders were working hard today.

His helmet was tucked under his arm, radiating the heat it had absorbed from the sun, scratched in several places. He'd saved up a lot for this helmet and armour.

All of a sudden, the revered helmet was yanked from his arms. Gasping in protest already, Kenta looked up to see the firebender from the battle beneath the bridge.

"Hey there, little kid, where ya goin'?"

Kenta yelled and reached his arms up for the helmet, but the big guy lifted it just out of reach. "HEY! Give me that back!"

"Oh you like this helmet, do you?"

Kenta tried to jump and grab the helmet, but the firebender pushed him away. He stumbled and nearly fell down.

"If you want your precious helmet back, you go and get your little friend Gingka Hagane and tell him to come to Republic Tower or you'll never see this helmet again. And he better be there at noon, 'cause if he's late, he'll get it."

ten minutes later

Gingka looked up from the grass at the edge of the path to find a tearful Kenta half-stumbling, and half-running towards him. He had on his armour, no shoes as usual; but his helmet was gone.

"Kenta? What's the matter?"

In gasping breaths, Kenta relayed the message from Benkei.

"He says if you don't come then I can't have my helmet back."

"Hmm...that healer girl from yesterday...Madoka? She told me I'm too exhausted to battle properly. I'll have to go back today and see if she'll let me take up this match."

Kenta nodded and followed Gingka back to the healing centre.

"Absolutely not", Madoka said when she heard the story, standing up, her tunic fluttering around her. "You cannot battle in this state. You're scarred up and sore. You are going to damage yourself and your bending skill beyond repair if you push yourself too hard."

Gingka threw a distressed glance at Kenta.

"He can't battle without his helmet, Madoka. He'll have to save up for a new one."

"It was special-ordered for that size", whimpered Kenta. "They're really expensive."

"Sorry, Madoka, but I have to take this chance. I'll be fine, I promise. Kenta has to have his helmet back." Gingka turned and raced out of the shop. It was nearly noon.

Madoka and Kenta gasped and followed after him. Kenta protested all the way.

"Gingka, I can't let you hurt yourself just because of my helmet! I've saved up for it before, I can save up again!"

"No, Kenta. No way."

Gingka hurried on, un-persuadable.

As they reached Republic Tower, Kenta could detect some movement on top, perhaps the red of a firebender's jacket emblazoned with a bull, the flutter of an earthbender's long vest.

Gingka took the stairs 2 or 3 at a time, bursting out at the top breathlessly.

A boy stood in the centre of the building near the rooftop pro-bending stadium; his spiky hair stood out from his forehead as he turned and smirked at Gingka. An earthbender.

"So you decided to come risk your skin for a little helmet, after all, huh Gingka?"

Gingka pushed his yellow headband back from his forehead. "It's important to him. Give it back and then I'll battle you."

"I don't think so." The earthbender gestured to Benkei, who was holding the helmet over the edge of the building. The street below roared almost menacingly with the Sato-mobiles, and the helmet dangled from his hand in the wind. Kenta cried out with alarm.

"You'll battle me now. And if you lose..." he chuckled, and Benkei shook the helmet. "The helmet goes. My name is Kyouya Tategami. I'm the strongest bender around here. You better learn it."

Kyouya and Gingka took their places on the separate sides of the stadium, in the first zone closest to the centre. Somebody launched a small rock at the bell on the wall near them, and almost immediately Kyouya started flinging discs of earth towards his opponent.

Gingka darted from side to side like a leaf tossed by a breeze. And then he began to attack. The first flurries of wind gusted forth in rings centred at his waist, powerful waves of energy that Kenta could feel from where he stood. Many of them hit Kyouya squarely.

But even as Gingka increased his attack power, Kyouya remained unfazed. Most of them should have pushed him at least one zone back, but seemed to barely sway him! One of Kyouya's attacks hit Gingka in the centre of the chest when his footwork faltered, and he stumbled back to the second zone.

Immediately one of Kyouya's followers tossed another pebble at the bell. "Kyouya may advance to the opponent's first zone."

Kyouya raced lightly over the centre circle of the stadium, bare feet skipping over the illuminated lines into zone 1. Gingka found his footing on the smooth surface of zone 2 and crouched light on his feet, shutting his eyes and breathing out slowly. Kyouya laughed and sent a flurry of crushed rock towards him.

"Why are none of his attacks finding their mark? He should've won by now with power of that magnitude!" Kenta tugged on the sleeve of Madoka's tunic. She had a laptop and seemed to be scanning Gingka's attack power.

Suddenly she gasped.

"Kyouya was ready for that power level! He used the location at the top of a building, where the winds increase in size and strength. He knows that airbenders posses a directly opposite strength to earthbenders, so he used the location to his advantage. The high winds, instead of working for Gingka, are suctioning up and sweeping away his attacks before they have a chance to reach Kyouya!"

Kenta gasped. It all made perfect sense.

Kyouya sent not one, but three disks at once, oppressing Gingka from all sides and pushing him back to zone 3.

PING, went the bell. "Kyouya may now advance to zone 2."

Gingka found himself at the edge of the slightly raised stadium. Kyouya laughed. "It's over now, Gingka. Say goodbye to the precious helmet."

"I'm not done yet."

Gingka drew himself up to full height, glaring into his opponent's eyes. And then he raised his arms and swept his feet back.

Currents of air whirled around him, faster and faster, building up momentum as they whirled. Madoka was staring in awe as the power went off the grid on her laptop. And then he sent the super-charged air up above, high into the clouds.

It came shooting down in a blast directed right in front of Kyouya. Sent him stumbling back and then falling off the edge of zone 3 on his half. He landed in the shallow pool beneath the stadium, drenched and stunned.

PING.

"Airbender Gingka is the victor of the match!"

Kenta held out his hand to Benkei angrily, and he grudgingly tossed the helmet back at him. Kenta hugged it close, and then he, Madoka, and Gingka made their way back down the steps and to the healing centre.

* * *

Benkei cowered a few feet from Kyouya; a shaft of light came through the partially open doors, illuminating only the lion-spirited earthbender in the centre of the warehouse.

"This is all your FAULT!" he roared, sending up huge boulders into the ceiling. The structure shuddered, and so did the men inside.

"YOU did not give ME your all! This is what you were here for. So I could grow stronger! YOU did not push it hard enough! YOU HAVE FAILED ME!" The men shook, and some fell on the ground with their arms thrown over their heads as rocks rained down from the ceiling.

A chuckled from the doorway caused Kyouya to cease in his tyrannical outrage and turn toward the source of the voice.

Backlit by the door, and reduced to a shadow glinting around the edges, a stranger stood watching.

"So, you are Kyouya Tategami..."


End file.
